Scholar of the Sands
by Willumyum
Summary: When Nasus is drawn into a supposedly simple match to help win a ballroom for Vi and Caitlyn's anniversary, the Curator soon realizes that even his advanced intellect and wise foresight did not prepare him well for the surprises ahead.
1. The Curator of the Sands

**AU**

**This is the revised edition of the first chapter. Upon rereading the work, I found myself asking many questions that I should've answered in this chapter. Here it is, Nasus, revamped and buffed!**

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To the ignorant visitor, the Shurima Desert is little more than a vast expanse of billowing sands and towering dunes. The blazing sun scours the burning earth; it scorches everything within its glare relentlessly. The scalding hot winds that whip across the desert are also unyielding, punishing the few who dare to trek the ancient paths of a civilization long gone.

A more romantic traveler, however, would note the gleam of the golden silt, shimmering under the brilliant, albeit oppressive, sunlight. He would also realize that the winds, as they passed through his flickering clothes, carried traces of the mighty kingdom in endless search of the remaining ruins. The crumbling structures, however, were well hidden under tawny hills and sparse vegetation that littered the rocky plains, unidentifiable to all but the exceptional few.

Nasus, the Curator of the Sands, is one such being. An enigmatic creature and an enlightened intellectual, the bestial guardian is not actually of Valoran. However, the world he comes from shares much in common with the Shurima; hence the jackal's affinity to the hostile desert.

When he was first summoned to Runeterra, the god-like being, enraged and furious, tore through the west wing of the Institute of War. Soon, however, his advanced intellect overcame his primal instinct, and his remorse quelled him from further destruction. Horrified at the wreckage he had caused, Nasus at last heeded the explanations of the summoners. Wrought with regret, he swore to never again lay harm on another being unless motive willed him to. He accepted his role as champion; slaying his traitorous brother, Renekton, would have to wait.

Unaccustomed to the iron discipline of Demacia, the cutthroat nature of Noxus, and the shimmering nightlife of Piltover, Nasus first established his home in Ionia. He could not, however, adapt to the strange, alien lifestyle the Ionians lived. They were not quick to accept him, either, since the elders viewed the Curator as a disturbance to the force of balance. Thus, when he heard of magical ruins within the Shurima Desert on account of Ezreal, Nasus quickly made it his duty to relocate there. However, before he did so, he hand copied every single book the Great Library of the Institute had to offer. By the time Nasus had settled in the remains of the Temple of the Falcon, he managed to restock the hallowed building with shelves upon shelves of knowledge. Contributing to the collection with volumes native to his home, the temple, once again, became a revered site of learning. Now, champions and summoners alike flock to his respite in an attempt to understand the cycle of life and death.

Occasionally, he would be asked to partake in a league match. In the beginning, the issues at hand were of historical importance; the battles often decided the borders of two states or the welfare of one. Lately, such requests had dwindled in both quality and quantity, but he was still called to the Summoner's Rift enough times to make him feel relevant in world affairs.

"Summoner Opal," Nasus recognized. Each visitor had a specific way of knocking on his door; he quickly learned to associate his guests with their idiosyncrasies. "You are welcome."

The sturdy, plain door opened sheepishly as a shy, soft-spoken girl stepped into his study. She was an Ionian of a medium height, with jet black hair that stretched down to her waist. Her bangs were cut just above her eyebrows, revealing bright brown eyes that were highlighted by the smoky make-up on her eyelids. Much of her body was concealed in a pale-blue robe that pooled on the ground; as beautiful as she was, she was also rather sensitive of her looks.

Nasus smiled upon seeing his old friend. The summoner, when she was younger, had often spent days in his library, browsing the seemingly endless display of ancient texts and modern literature alike. Years later, the ceiling-high book shelves still managed to bring about a sense of wonder in her.

"Ah, yes, my famous bookshelves," mirth adorned Nasus's husky voice. "I made them myself, you know."

"Yes," Opal's voice was light-hearted and delicate, like a bird that did not quite know how to spread its wings yet. "You've told me many times," she whispered quietly in reverence, noting the pride that gleamed within the Curator's eyes. It had meant a lot to him to be able to successfully restore the ancient temple. She knew that fact better than anyone else.

"You came alone?" Nasus asked, concerned, as he peered behind the summoner.

"Not quite. I was escorted to the Shurima Desert by Ezreal. I trekked the rest of the journey by myself."

"Admirable," the keeper of the temple was duly impressed. "Not many can wander the sands of Shurima and live to tell the tale."

Opal giggled. "I am no longer the little child that frolicked between these ruins, Nasus. I'm a summoner, remember?"

"Of course," Nasus grinned, beckoning her to take a seat. She curtsied before treading daintily toward the intricately carved chair. Like Nasus, she observed, it was a few centuries old, preserved by magic that had been long since forgotten.

"I see that my desk still holds interest in your eyes," he smiled, watching as Opal ran her pale, slender fingers up and down the smooth, ebony wood.

"Hmm," she hummed. "This worktable used to be larger."

"And you, my friend, used to be smaller." His unblinking, sapphire eyes and serene composition, however, still rendered Opal rather insignificant next to him.

She responded with only a coy smile, her eyelashes flittering slightly as she drew her hands under her chin.

"Your purpose is not to flirt," Nasus suddenly snarled. "You had a reason to come here. Speak, human."

"Um," Opal gulped, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She did not expect the harsh response Nasus had given her. "Vi and Caitlyn were recently engaged, and they want to hold a ball in Piltover in recognition of their anniversary."

"Send them my blessings," Nasus barked at the good news. His menacing glare unfurled itself.

"Well, you see," Opal stuttered. "The problem is that Jayce is completely against it. Somehow, it escalated to a matter of the state. Caitlyn submitted her request to the Institute, and now a league match is being fought to resolve the dilemma."

"How trivial," Nasus squinted at the summoner.

"Teams have begun to form. Vi, Caitlyn, Ezreal, and Leona support holding a ball in celebration. Jayce, Heimerdinger, Janna, and Diana are deeply against it."

"You are not making any sense," Nasus frowned. "Jayce and Janna are on good terms with Vi and Caitlyn. Heimerdinger, I'm certain, is far too intelligent to belittle himself for this cause. And why did Leona and Diana even drag themselves into this match?"

Opal paused in consideration; she, herself, didn't question the motives at play. "I honestly don't know why Jayce and Janna are against it. But the heretic and the sun warrior, they see themselves within Vi and Caitlyn. Leona believes they should embrace their love, Diana thinks it'll spell the end of their friendship."

"Why have you come to seek my audience?" Nasus, however, already knew the answer.

"The sheriff of Piltover wanted an intellectual to decide on which side is worth fighting for," Opal explained as she pointed her index fingers at each other.

Nasus gave off a low growl. "This matter is by far too trivial for me to partake in," he dismissed her at once. "I apologize for leaving you empty-handed, but it is not my duty to determine what is right or wrong in personal matters."

"It's not just that," Opal pouted as she averted his scorching gaze. "I insist, Nasus. Please. Participate in this match for _me_, if you must."

"I cherish your friendship," Nasus skeptically squinted. "But I will not allow you to use it as leverage against me."

"No, no, you misunderstood," Opal waved her arms, the oversized sleeves of her robes flailing in the air. "Ah, I'm sorry Nasus, that's not what I meant."

"Explain, then."

Opal's flustered face deepened into a shade of bright violet. Her eyes darted nervously between the orderly books stacked on his desk and his penetrating gaze. She gulped; there was no way out.

"Alright, I admit it," she stammered. "I did try to use our friendship against you…" Her voice drifted off.

A pang of remorse stabbed at Nasus's heart. Perhaps he was being too harsh.

_Or too soft,_ he snarled at himself.

"It's just, you know, I thought it was a good cause," she struggled onwards, wringing her hands together. "I mean, I know personally how it feels like to be denied happiness. I, too, loved someone, and I, too, was…" Her voice cracked. "It just didn't work out in the end. You know the story."

Nasus nodded solemnly. His friend's love life was like a tragic epic, now that he considered it. Since she was the daughter of Elder Hing, a renowned poet and influential political figure, she was subject to the courtship of many young princes and rich businessmen, not all of them benign. Unsatisfied with their haughty, arrogant personalities, she instead turned to a seemingly faultless intellectual. He, however, had ulterior motives; upon exploiting her naïve nature, he pillaged her innocence before selling her away to human sex traffickers. Fortunately, Caitlyn and Vi, along with the help of Nasus himself, were able to track her location down. Living up to their name, Piltover's Finest easily apprehended the criminals.

The nightmare did not end there, however. During the trial of the deceitful man, he was revealed to be none other than Opal's older brother, who was exiled by Elder Hing upon his razing of an entire Ionian village. He was sentenced to life in prison, but the damage had been done. Opal, devastated, locked herself in her room for months.

What finally emerged after a year-long hiatus was not a soulless shell of a human being. Instead, like a phoenix reborn from ashes, she was renewed and teeming with life. Although she was still reserved, and often kept to herself, Opal began devoting her time to relearning the arcane arts she had left behind. After tedious years of study, she eventually ascended to the role of summoner. Finally establishing a name for herself, she began to devote her efforts towards equality and rights for all citizens of Valoran.

Nasus sunk his head into his chest. Even if the motive for the match was selfish, it was also righteous.

"You bring up a good point," he said at last. "You wish to repay Caitlyn and Vi for their kindness, I understand as much. I accept the match, and I will take the sheriff's side."

Opal's magenta eyes lit up instantly. Exhilarated, she leaned forward and pecked a very surprised Nasus on his cheek.

"Really?" She asked to make sure. "You're really going to commit to this? Oh my god, you're the best! Everyone will talk about you!"

"Calm down, dear Opal," Nasus chuckled, rubbing the area where Opal had kissed. "I'm not doing this for fame. I accepted my role solely for you and for the future of Valoran. As minuscule as I believe this match will be in the final scheme of things, I still believe that the fates call out to me to bring some small change to the world."

"Oh," Opal sighed, "How can I thank you?"

"Don't bother me again, ever," Nasus growled.

Opal lowered her chin and whimpered at him with a pitiful face.

"Fine, get me dog biscuits or something," his faced remained cold and expressionless as he joked.

"Is that it?" she raised her voice, surprised.

Nasus laughed heartily. "What else am I supposed to ask for? Wait, don't tell me," his face darkened as he leaned forward. "For only $2.95 a minute, you'll leave me breathless?"

"Hmm hmm," Opal chuckled mischievously. "If you put it that way..."

The keeper of the temple shook his head disapprovingly. "With your childhood went your innocence, huh?" He jested. He instantly rued his banter, and began to apologize. "Ah, I'm sorry, I…"

Opal, however, only feigned a hurt face.

"Aren't you harsh with words," her voice was thickly layered with honey. "Don't worry. The past shouldn't trouble us," she soothed him upon noticing his troubled face. "We must remember, and then let go. Speaking of going, I have to go too. I'll see you later!" She called behind her as she skipped out of Nasus's study.

The Curator of the Sands simply waved back at her. Though he had spent much time in learning their manner of life, much was still nuanced to him.


	2. The Eons Pass Like Days

Now, as Nasus stood towering over the Shopkeeper, he felt himself growing ever more skeptical of what he was doing. No matter how he considered it, Nasus could not see how winning this battle for Caitlyn would, in any way, benefit the rest of Valoran. It was a selfish request at best, one that most likely would never permeate beyond Piltover. The fact that Piltover accepted it as a matter of the state, thus, was beyond absurd.

He exhaled a deep breath. Valoran politics had always troubled him; the way some champions jumped into the fray, blind with patriotism and nationalism, irked him further. Nasus, on the other hand, would research carefully the conditions that led to the political dilemma. He wanted to make sure that he always picked the correct side, even if it wasn't the 'good' side.

But this match was riddled with personal ties and nuanced messages that even he could not decode. Opal, innocent as she was, now alarmed Nasus with suspicion. Could it be that, as she matured, she learned to manipulate others with her seemingly petite personality and stature? Jayce's refusal to grant Vi and Caitlyn, too, reeked of underhand politics. Why would their closest friend reject the greatest source of happiness for them?

The cool breeze that swept across the Summoner's Rift was unable to quell his cynicism, and the bubbly banter between Vi and Caitlyn did not help to unfurl his scowling face.

"What's wrong, Nasus?" Ezreal, the Grandmaster Explorer, sensed that something was troubling the scholar.

"Nothing to fret about," Nasus rasped in reply, dragging out the syllables of his words.

"Alright, then," Ezreal purchased his items and quickly made way to mid lane. He had learned, from personal experience, not to trifle with the intellectual.

Nasus sighed. Even if he was duped into fighting this battle, he still had to commit to the match. Besides, Caitlyn's proposition wasn't too bad; it was harmless, albeit selfish, at most.

"Cloth, five pots," Nasus told the Shopkeeper. He grabbed the five potions and trinket, smiling as he felt some sort of armor brush against his golden robes. The items he purchased would be magically concealed and applied to him. In other words, he did not have to physically equip the armor and weapons he bought from the store. It made sense that way; actually bringing some of the swords available, for example, to the battlefield would be comical and detrimental to the user.

"Oi, Nasus!" A voice, foreign and accented, stopped the Curator in his tracks.

"I just, um, want to thank you for going out on a limb for me. Us," Caitlyn added when Vi grabbed her forcefully on the shoulder.

"Yeah," the pink-haired brawler nodded in agreement. "Whatever the sharpshooting cupcake said."

"Oh, you, if only you had half the brains to match your muscles," Caitlyn retorted.

"You are welcome. I will leave you to your jest," Nasus tersely interrupted them. The two looked down, humiliated, at their feet as he teleported to the top lane outer turret.

He didn't mean to hurt their feelings, that was for sure. Still, to be flirting in such a serious, though preposterous, match was strange and distasteful to him. Shaking his head, Nasus shifted his thoughts to who his lane opponent would be. The opposition consisted of Jayce, Heimerdinger, Janna, and Diana, who were all champions that could play more than one role. Regardless, he composed a mental map of where they were most probably going.

"Janna support," he whispered to himself. "Heimerdinger top lane or mid. Jayce attack damage carry or also top lane. Diana jungle or mid." Which meant that they were either inviting a marksman or a top lane champion to fight for them.

"Minions have re-spawned!" The announcer's voice rang throughout the Rift. He would find out soon.

In the mean time, a pandemonium of clashing metal and searing words stole his attention away from his thoughts. He looked down at his mini-map; on opposite sides of the mid lane stood Leona and Diana, facing each other. Vi and Caitlyn were restraining the Radiant Dawn. The Scorn of the Moon was held back by Jayce and Janna.

"Let me have at her!" Diana screamed deliriously. "You, you betrayed me! Set me up!"

"I did not," Leona scoffed. "You could not accept the Solari in your heart, and so you murdered my people, my elders, and destroyed my temple in response."

"They didn't accept me! You, my dearest friend, turned away from me in my darkest moments!" Diana began to tear up. "Leona," she whispered. "You weren't there for me when I needed you most."

"Still," Leona rebutted, her icy voice un-melting under her own radiance, "To think you would do something as atrocious as that..." Leona spat at her. "I love you no longer."

"No," Diana shook her head in disbelief. "Impossible. Impossible!" She yelled, struggling under Jayce and Janna's hold on her. "Come back!" She screamed at Leona, who was now retreating back to her side of the map. "Come back!"

"How quick humans are in concealing their true emotions," Nasus reflected. "It would have been simpler if Leona had told her how she truly felt. But intelligence and common sense is not a prevalent trait of these creatures, as far as I can tell."

"Well spoken, Curator of the Sands," a discordant cacophony of voices came from the brushes. Although the polyphonic voices stretched the whole spectrum of audible sound, they all agreed on one thing; the overall result was menacing and alien.

"Vel'Koz," Nasus growled. He stomped his halberd into the soft, mushy soil as he stood up.

"Hmm," the Eye of the Void peered around him. "I was told I would be laning against Ahri," he drifted off upon noticing Nasus's inquisitive glare. "Nothing," he quickly evaded. "I didn't say anything."

"I could care less about your childish attempts at harnessing knowledge, four eyes," Nasus howled. "You will, however, not stand in the way of my victory."

Indignant, the alien flailed his arms in the air. An unamused jackal stared back at him.

"That usually works with the ladies," he said under his breath. "Fear me!" Vel'Koz lurched backwards before snapping his tentacles out at Nasus. The Curator effortlessly dodged the magenta streaks of light before striking back with his scepter. A calculated swing came in contact with the alien's appendages; he shrieked in pain.

"Do not try me," Nasus rasped as his weapon glowed. "I am not to be trifled with."

Vel'Koz quickly shrunk back to the bushes he revealed himself from.

"Hmm," he considered. "That is not a fragile species. Not at all. His weapon, too, reeks of magic. It seems to be able to steal the life essence of its victims. Just like Ahri," he added dreamily.

The minions finally arrived at the top lane, and Nasus immediately made it his duty to begin farming. One, two, chunk. One, two, clunk. Occasionally, Vel'Koz would flash a beam of plasma energy at him, breaking the beat of monotonous, rhythmic swings. Nasus, however, emerged unscathed from his spells, and continued to work on his stacks.

The Eye of the Void was frustrated at his opponent's surprising durability. Most of his opposing laners usually weren't able to handle more than a full combo of his spells. His Plasma Fission would slow down their movement, opening them to a round of his Void Rift. Before decomposing their atomic structure with his Lifeform Disintegration Ray, he would cast Tectonic Disruption to ensure that his subjects did not escape. Of course, within the League, he could not actually break down the organic structure of his victims. Instead, it left them in an unconscious state of sexual promiscuity, which Vel'Koz quickly exploited with his three appendages.

All of a sudden, Vel'Koz heard his summoner shriek in agony. Disturbed, the alien shook himself away from his giddy thoughts, only to realize that he was back at his base.

"God damn it," his summoner chastised. "While you were daydreaming of sleeping with Ahri, Nasus siphoned away your life force, man!"

Vel'Koz was surprised. "Someone actually survived my preliminary testing?"

"He's a god," the summoner replied, exasperated. "Your stupid beam won't kill him, even if he stood right under your laser."

"I have greatly underestimated my subject," Vel'Koz realized.

"Yeah. He just took your turret, and now he's ramming it down mid, tentacles."

"Oh dear," Vel'Koz was fret with remorse, and scurried over to the mid turret. Even from afar, he could spot the ascended being in his final form. The sky darkened as furious winds whipped across his jet-black skin, buffeting everything within its grasp with speckles of shadowy sand. A pool of spirit fire circled around his feet, laying to waste the lush green grass it came in touch with. Behind him laid a path of destruction; upturned trees, yellowing grass, and the bodies of his slain teammates littered the field. Nasus raised his head to the skies and howled. He then brought his scepter, which was glowing in crimson red, down onto the trembling ground and snarled, "I bring death."

Vel'Koz instantly slammed on the surrender button upon seeing his opponent take down the turret with one, firm swing. His teammates quickly followed suit; the alien saw his opponents cheering delightfully behind Nasus before his vision faded away.

"Oh my god!" Caitlyn exclaimed. She was the first to make a sound. "What a beast you are, Nasus!"

Vi chuckled. "Was that a pun or something, cupcake?"

Nasus remained emotionless. "I am glad to be of service." He bowed slightly.

"Thank you, really," Caitlyn curtsied. She then grabbed Vi's arms and pulled her out of the plain, circular room they were in.

Nasus sighed, exhausted. It enervated him greatly to contain his power within the Institute's limits. But, if he had unleashed his full fury, no doubt he would have destroyed all of the Summoner's Rift. He leaned back against his velvet sofa and peered at the other champions and summoners in the room. They were just regaining they consciousness; Jayce was the first from the other team to greet him.

"You know, I thought about my original opinions on this matter, and now I realize that I'm just a selfish bastard," Jayce admitted.

"Hindsight is twenty twenty," Nasus replied, admiring his ability to change.

"Well, I gotta go," Jayce patted down his pristine, white outfit. "I have a date tonight, you know." He adjusted the red rose clipped to his suit.

"Godspeed."

Jayce waved goodbye as he dragged an unconscious Janna with him. The other champions and summoners left, one by one, until only Nasus and Opal remained.

He grunted at the girl sitting besides him, tapping lightly on her shoulder. She jolted awake, blushing slightly as she wiped at the drool around her mouth.

"Thanks," she stuttered at last. "I appreciate your help."

"You hide secrets under your mask of innocence, child," Nasus loomed over her, casting a menacing shadow on her delicate face. Opal cowered in her seat, shivering in fear.

"No, you're mistaken, I'm not hiding anything from you!"

"Your charms do not faze me, summoner."

The girl shook her head fervently, and hot, scalding tears welled up in her eyes. "Trust me, Nasus," she choked back her sobs. "Really, I won't ever lie to you."

The howling winds that whirled around Nasus died out, and the Curator slumped back into his seat. Next to him, Opal rocked in her chair, her legs drawn into her chest, shaking silently to herself.

"I apologize," Nasus said at last. "Out of haste, I have harmed you."

"It's okay," Opal wiped at the tears running down her face. "I understand that my demeanor can be deceiving sometimes. But still," her face brightened. "You've done a great deed for us. Oh," she reached into her robes and pulled out a letter. "An invitation to the Rutgers's Ball," she gingerly gave the envelope to him. "On behalf of Caitlyn and Vi."

Nasus groaned. They just won't leave him alone.


End file.
